Humans are the weak point of even the most reliable cyber defense.
In his article, Ulrich Swart, training manager and head of the technical team at Orange Cyberdefense (a subsidiary of the information security company Orange), described a person as a social engineering target and highlighted weak points that hackers can use to gain access to confidential information.
In cyberspace, where technology and threats are constantly evolving, people remain the number one target for intruders. Over time, hackers have developed their skills in exploiting various human traits, honing their ability to manipulate prejudice and emotional triggers in order to influence people's behavior and compromise security, both personal and corporate.
To protect yourself in the digital world, you need to understand how these mechanisms work and how attackers manipulate them. Human evolution and interaction with the environment have shaped many traits and emotions in us, which often become vulnerable points for cybercriminals. Trust, empathy, ego, guilt, greed, urgency, and vulnerability are just some of the main factors that influence our online behavior.
It is these traits and emotions that guide us in our daily lives that attackers manipulate to achieve their goals. Cybercriminals use various social engineering models and techniques to force us to comply with their demands.
In the arsenal of intruders there is a wide range of techniques based on an understanding of human psychology. The most common social engineering techniques include:
By combining these tricks with our emotions and basic traits, attackers carry out cyberattacks using social engineering techniques. Most often, they resort to channels such as email, phone calls, and text messages. The main purpose of such attacks is phishing, luring people out of money, personal data, or luring them to malicious websites. The consequences of such attacks can be very different — from personal losses to large corporate data leaks.
How to protect yourself from social engineering?
Cyber threat awareness, combined with a proactive approach, helps mitigate attacks on our minds and humanity, facilitating collaboration to disarm attackers and weaken their operations. Be vigilant, stay informed, and continue to question anything that seems suspicious.
In his article, Ulrich Swart, training manager and head of the technical team at Orange Cyberdefense (a subsidiary of the information security company Orange), described a person as a social engineering target and highlighted weak points that hackers can use to gain access to confidential information.
In cyberspace, where technology and threats are constantly evolving, people remain the number one target for intruders. Over time, hackers have developed their skills in exploiting various human traits, honing their ability to manipulate prejudice and emotional triggers in order to influence people's behavior and compromise security, both personal and corporate.
To protect yourself in the digital world, you need to understand how these mechanisms work and how attackers manipulate them. Human evolution and interaction with the environment have shaped many traits and emotions in us, which often become vulnerable points for cybercriminals. Trust, empathy, ego, guilt, greed, urgency, and vulnerability are just some of the main factors that influence our online behavior.
It is these traits and emotions that guide us in our daily lives that attackers manipulate to achieve their goals. Cybercriminals use various social engineering models and techniques to force us to comply with their demands.
In the arsenal of intruders there is a wide range of techniques based on an understanding of human psychology. The most common social engineering techniques include:
- Reciprocity: the desire to repay someone who has done us good. Attackers often use this trick by sending us fake messages on behalf of organizations we trust and asking for a small favor in return for previously provided help.
- Authority: tendency to submit to authority figures. Cybercriminals may pose as employees of law enforcement agencies, banking institutions, or other reputable organizations in order to force us to comply with their demands.
- Scarcity: the appeal of hard-to-find items. Attackers often use this technique to create an impression of urgency or limited supply, to encourage us to take an unwise action, such as opening a malicious link or transferring money.
- Consistency: preference for routine and structure. Attackers can use this technique by sending us emails that are stylized as official messages from well-known organizations, thereby misleading us and making us believe that they are authentic.
- Sympathy: tendency to build emotional connections. Attackers can play on our emotions by pretending to be in need of help or close people in order to force us to share confidential information.
- Social proof: the pursuit of recognition and fame. Cybercriminals can use this technique by creating fake reviews or positive comments about their products or services to convince us of their reliability and get us to invest in them.
By combining these tricks with our emotions and basic traits, attackers carry out cyberattacks using social engineering techniques. Most often, they resort to channels such as email, phone calls, and text messages. The main purpose of such attacks is phishing, luring people out of money, personal data, or luring them to malicious websites. The consequences of such attacks can be very different — from personal losses to large corporate data leaks.
How to protect yourself from social engineering?
- Ask yourself the following questions: what is the purpose, expectations, and legitimacy of this interaction? This will help you prevent impulsive reactions and give you time to think.
- Develop the habit of "stopping and evaluating": this is a kind of" mental firewall " that increases your vigilance and protects you from manipulation.
- Learn about attacks: Knowing how attackers work will help you be prepared for them.
- Think critically: don't blindly trust the information you see on the Internet, and always check its accuracy.
- Use reliable cybersecurity tools: antivirus software, firewalls, and other tools can help you protect yourself from malware and other cyber threats.
- Work together: share information about cyber threats with friends and family, and report suspicious cases to law enforcement agencies.
Cyber threat awareness, combined with a proactive approach, helps mitigate attacks on our minds and humanity, facilitating collaboration to disarm attackers and weaken their operations. Be vigilant, stay informed, and continue to question anything that seems suspicious.
